JPH07283792A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the bi-directional transmission without reducing the transmission efficiency by mounting a member having a transmission line capable of branching and coupling an optical signal and inserting the light communication sent from one connection part to the connection part with is not connected with a light cable into other connection part. CONSTITUTION:An optical signal from an equipment with a light emitting part and a light receiving part is inserted through a connection part 2 and an optical signal from the other equipment is inserted through a connection part 7, then they are coupled by a 1st connection part 8a, further they are sent through a connection part 4 to an optical cable for the transmission to the other devices. One of the optical signals inserted through a connection part 5 is sent through a connection part 1 to the light reception part of the equipment and the other is sent through a connection part 6 to the other equipment, then to a optical cable. When it is unnecessary to send it to the other equipment, the optical signal is inserted through not the connection part 5 but through the connection part 3, the inserted optical signal reaches the connection part 1. Thus, the signal transmission between devices can be performed bidirectionally without washing the optical signals.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector for transmitting and receiving optical signals between a plurality of devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-20441
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1, a configuration is disclosed in which an optical signal input is taken into an optical terminal device when necessary, and is switched when not needed so as to pass without being taken.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned known example, it is impossible to take a part of the optical signal into the device and send the rest to another device. In other words, a configuration in which the optical signal transmission path is switched so that the information of the optical signal is necessary and the information is not necessary, and the optical signal is taken into the device only when necessary and the optical signal is bypassed when unnecessary. It has become. Therefore, it is difficult to use the same optical signal information in two or more devices at the same time. In order to use the same optical signal information in two or more devices at the same time, the optical signal information must be introduced into the device. There is a method in which the signal is processed once on the device side after being converted into an electrical signal, and the same signal is converted into an optical signal and transmitted from the light emitting unit, but the cost is high because a new signal processing circuit is required. There is a problem.

Further, in the conventional example, it is difficult to superimpose an optical signal different from the optical signal that has been transmitted on the optical signal and to transmit it. To do this, the information of the optical signal is taken into the device. Although there is a method of converting an electric signal to an electric signal and then adding a new signal to convert the signal to an optical signal again and transmitting the signal, there is a problem in that the cost is increased because a new signal processing circuit is required.

Further, the conventional example does not support bidirectional signal transmission between devices.

[0006]

The optical connector of the present invention comprises:
It has a light emitting part, a light receiving part, and a connection part that can be connected to an optical cable, and sends a part of the optical signal transmitted by the optical cable to the light receiving part side and the remaining optical signal to the other optical cable side. At the same time, when it is not necessary to send to the other optical cable side, the optical branching and coupling transmission line where the optical signal is transmitted only to the light receiving part side, and the optical signal transmitted by the optical cable and the light emitting part side are sent. It is configured to have an optical branching / coupling transmission line that couples the optical signals and sends them to the other optical cable side.

Further, in order to perform bidirectional signal transmission between the devices to which the present optical connector is attached, the devices to which the present optical connector is attached are connected by a two-core optical cable and attached to the terminal device. Also, a member having a transmission path for inserting an optical signal sent from one connection portion into the other connection portion is attached to the side of the optical connector to which the optical cable is not connected.

[0008]

Operation: One of the optical branching and coupling transmission lines of this connector divides the optical signal sent from the optical cable side into the optical receiver side and the other optical cable side, or transmits all the optical signals to the optical receiver side. And the other optical coupling section acts to transmit the optical signal sent from the optical cable side and the optical signal sent from the light emitting section side to the combined optical cable side. Further, the member attached to the side to which the optical cable is not connected functions so as to insert the optical signal sent from one of the connecting portions into the other connecting portion.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of an optical connector using an optical branch coupling transmission line according to the present invention.
Fig. 1 (a) shows the state as seen from above with the case lid removed.
(b) is a cross-sectional view as seen from the side to which the optical cable is connected.
(c) shows a cross-sectional view as seen from the side connected to the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a connecting portion for connecting with a connector incorporating a light receiving portion for receiving an optical signal, and 2 is a connecting portion for connecting with a connector incorporating a light emitting element for emitting an optical signal. Is a connection part for connecting with a connector attached to the optical cable, in which an optical signal is inserted into the connection parts 3, 5, and 7, and an optical signal is sent out from the connection parts 4, 6.
Reference numeral 8 is a first optical branching / coupling transmission line connected to the connection portion 2 for connecting with a connector incorporating a light emitting element for emitting an optical signal, and 9 is connected with a connector incorporating a light receiving portion for receiving an optical signal. Is a second optical branching and coupling transmission line connected to the connection section 1 for the purpose, and 8 and 9 are made of a transparent medium for transmitting an optical signal, and 8a couples the optical signals from the optical transmission lines 8b and 8c, The first coupling section 9a for sending to the optical transmission line 8d is a branching unit for branching the optical signal from the optical transmission line 9c into the optical transmission lines 9d and 9e, and the branching ratio may be arbitrary, and 9b is the optical transmission line 9e,
A second coupling portion that couples the optical signal from 9f and sends it to the optical transmission line 9g, 10 is an optical connector case body, and 11 is a case lid.

The operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
An optical signal from a device having a light emitting part and a light receiving part connected to this connector is connected to the optical branching / coupling transmission line 8 via the connecting part 2, and an optical signal transmitted from another device by an optical cable is connected to the connecting part 7.
After being inserted into the optical branching / coupling transmission line 8 via the optical fiber, it is coupled at the first coupling part 8a in the optical branching / coupling transmission line 8 and further connected to the optical cable via the connection part 4 for transmission to another device. Sent to. In addition, an optical signal transmitted from another device by an optical cable is inserted into the optical branching / coupling transmission line 9 via the connection unit 5, and then branched at the branching unit 9a in the optical branching / coupling transmission line 9, one of which is connected. The light is sent to the light receiving section of the device through the section 1, and the other is sent to the optical cable through the connection section 6 for transmission to the other apparatus. Here, when it is not necessary to transmit the optical signal taken in this connector to another device, the optical signal transmitted by the optical cable is inserted into the optical branching / coupling transmission line 9 not through the connecting portion 5 but through the connecting portion 3. By doing so, since the inserted optical signal passes through the second coupling section 9b and almost reaches the connection section 1 side, the optical signal is not wasted.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a concrete constitution of a member having a transmission line for inserting an optical signal sent from one connection portion into the other connection portion. FIG. 2 (a) is a plan view. FIG. 2B is a plan view and a side view. In the figure, 12 is an optical signal entrance hole, 13 is an optical signal exit hole, 14 and 15 are reflection mirrors for reflecting light, 16 is an exit hole for narrowing the spread of light from the entrance hole 12.
Optical element such as a lens that collects light to 13
The diameters 13 are the same, and the diameter of the light condensed on the emission hole 13 can be set to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the emission hole 13. Reference numeral 17 is a case for holding and fixing the reflecting mirrors 14, 15 and the optical element 16, 18 is a rotation shaft that allows the case 17 to rotate, 19 is a bearing provided in the main body of the device, and 20 is a rotation shaft 18 so that the rotation shaft 18 does not fall Preventing parts, 21 is an elastic member such as a screw spring that presses the case 17 against the apparatus body, 22 is a projection for hooking the elastic member 21 provided on the case 17, 23 is a connector insertion hole provided in the apparatus body, Reference numeral 24 is a positioning stopper when the case 17 is pressed by the apparatus body.

The operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
If the connector attached to the optical cable is not inserted, the optical signal entering from the incident hole 12 is reflected by the reflecting mirror 14, the spread of the light is narrowed by the optical element 16, and then reflected again by the reflecting mirror 15 and emitted. Exit from hole 13. When the connector attached to the optical cable is inserted into the insertion hole 23, the connector pushes the case 17 from the direction of arrow A,
Rotates in the direction of arrow B about the rotation axis 18 as the center of rotation against the force of the elastic member 21, so that the optical signal is inserted into the optical cable without entering the entrance hole 12, and the signal sent from the optical cable is emitted. It is inserted into a connection part or the like attached to the hole 13.

Here, the member shown in FIG. 2 is connected to the optical connector of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 so that the connecting portion 4 and the incident hole 12 are connected, and the connecting portion 5 and the emitting hole 13 are connected. With one connector, when the optical cable is connected, signals can be exchanged with the optical cable, and when the optical cable is not connected, the optical signal sent from one connecting portion can be inserted into the other connecting portion.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which signal transmission between a plurality of devices is carried out bidirectionally using the connector of FIG. 1 and the connector in which the members of FIG. 2 are connected, and four devices are connected. In FIG. 3, 25 to 28 are connectors of the present invention, and 29 to 31 are 2
Core optical cables, 32 to 35 are devices that want to send and receive signals, and are assumed to have a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit.

In the figure, the operation of bidirectionally transmitting signals between devices will be described. The connector 25 sends the optical signal emitted from the device 32 to either one of the two-core optical cables 29.
In the connectors 26, 27, 28, the optical signals emitted from the devices 33, 34, 35 to which they are respectively attached and the optical signals sent from the two-core optical cables 29, 30, 31 are combined to form the connectors 26, 27. Sends to either one of the two-core optical cables 30 and 31 respectively. Since only the two-core optical cable 31 is connected to the connector 28 and the optical cable is not connected to one end, the function of the member for inserting the optical signal sent from one connecting portion into the other connecting portion is The optical signal coupled to is returned to the connector 28. The connector 28 branches the returned optical signal, one of which branches to the light-receiving portion of the device 35 and the other of which branches to the other core of the two-core optical cable 31. Connector 27 is a two-core optical cable 31
The optical signal sent from the optical fiber is split into one, to the light receiving part of the device 34, the other to the other core of the two-core optical cable 30, and
The connector 26 branches the optical signal sent from the two-core optical cable 30, one to the light receiving part of the device 33 and the other to the other core of the two-core optical cable 29. Finally, the connector 25 sends the signal sent from the two-core optical cable 29 to the light receiving section of the device 32. In this way, it becomes possible to perform bidirectional signal transmission between the devices to which the optical connector is attached. In this embodiment, the number of devices to which this connector is connected is four, but the number is not limited to this and any number may be used.

Further, in the member shown in FIG. 2, the entrance hole 1
2, exit hole 13, reflecting mirrors 14, 15, optical element 16, and case 1
7 constitutes another member 36 having a transmission line for inserting the optical signal sent from one connection portion into the other connection portion, and further, this and the optical connector of the first embodiment shown in FIG. The connector 28 in FIG. 3 can be configured by connecting the connection part 4 and the incident hole 12 to the connection part 5 and the emission hole 13 so as to be connected, and the connector 28 in FIG. The optical connector shown in 1 is improved, and bidirectional signal transmission can be performed between devices to which the optical connector is attached.

Further, the member 36 may be constructed so as to be attachable to and detachable from the connector of the first embodiment, and may be attached if necessary.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the optical connector using the optical branch coupling transmission line according to the present invention.
FIG. 4A shows a state in which the lid of the case is removed and is seen from above.
FIG. 4B is a sectional view as seen from the side to which the optical cable is connected.
(c) shows a cross-sectional view as seen from the side connected to the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion. In FIG. 4, components having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

In this figure, the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment will be described using the embodiment of FIG. 3 in which signal transmission between a plurality of devices is bidirectional. When this connector is located at the position of the connector 25 in FIG. 3, the optical signal emitted from the connecting portion 6 is inserted from the connecting portion 3 in order to prevent the optical signal from being wasted, as in the first embodiment. That is, this connector also includes the member shown in FIG. 2, the connecting portion 4 and the entrance hole 12, and the connecting portion 5
2 and not only to connect so that the output hole 13 and
By connecting another member shown in Fig. 1 so that the connecting portion 6 and the incident hole 12 are connected so that the connecting portion 3 and the emitting hole 13 are connected, signal transmission between a plurality of devices can be performed without wasting optical signals. It can be done in both directions.

Alternatively, the member 36 may be constructed so as to be attachable to and detachable from the connector of the second embodiment, and may be attached if necessary.

Further, in the connector of the first embodiment of FIG. 1 and the connector of the second embodiment of FIG. 4, the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion may be attached instead of the connecting portion 2 and the connecting portion 1, respectively.

[0023]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION A member is provided which has a transmission line for branching and coupling optical signals, and which inserts an optical signal sent from one connecting part into the other connecting part on the side not connected to the optical cable. Since it is attached, there is an effect that bidirectional transmission between devices can be performed with simple connection without deteriorating transmission efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a member for inserting an optical signal sent from one connection portion into the other connection portion.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which signal transmission between a plurality of devices is bidirectionally performed using the connector of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the connector of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-7 Connection parts 1-7, 8 ... 1st optical branch coupling transmission line, 9 ... 2nd optical branch coupling transmission line, 10 ... Case main body, 11 ... Case lid.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location H04B 10/12 10/02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An optical connector comprising a connecting portion and an optical transmission line, wherein the optical transmission line connected to the connecting part connectable to the optical cable is connected to the optical transmission line connecting to the connecting part connectable to the light receiving part. And an optical signal in an optical transmission line connected to a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable to another optical transmission line connected to the coupling part and a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable. A branching part that branches to a connected optical transmission line and an optical signal in the optical transmission line that connects to a connection part that is different from the connection part that can connect to the optical cable. An optical connector comprising: a coupling section for coupling an optical signal and sending it to an optical transmission line connected to a connection section different from a connection section connectable to the optical cable. 2. An optical connector comprising a connection part and an optical transmission line, wherein the optical transmission line connected to the connection part connectable to the optical cable is connected to the optical transmission line connected to the connection part connectable to the light receiving part. And an optical signal in an optical transmission line connected to a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable to another optical transmission line connected to the coupling part and a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable. A branching part that branches to a connected optical transmission line and an optical signal in the optical transmission line connected to a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable A coupling unit for coupling an optical signal and sending it to an optical transmission line connected to a connection unit different from the connection unit connectable to the optical cable is further provided, and when the optical cable is not connected to the connection unit connectable to the optical cable, Light cell Optical connector, characterized in that a member placed in different connections optical signal exiting from the connection part connectable to the Le a connecting portion connectable to the optical cable. 3. An optical connector comprising a connection part and an optical transmission line, wherein an optical signal in the optical transmission line connected to the connection part connectable to the optical cable is connected to the connection part connectable to the light receiving part. A branch part branching into an optical transmission line connected to a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable, and a light emission to an optical signal in the optical transmission line connected to a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable. A light coupling device is provided, which is provided with a coupling unit for coupling an optical signal in an optical transmission line connected to a connection unit connectable to the optical transmission unit and sending it to an optical transmission line connected to a connection unit different from the connection unit connectable to the optical cable. connector. 4. An optical connector comprising a connection part and an optical transmission line, wherein an optical signal in the optical transmission line connected to the connection part connectable to the optical cable is connected to the connection part connectable to the light receiving part. A branch part branching into an optical transmission line connected to a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable, and a light emission to an optical signal in the optical transmission line connected to a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable. A coupling part for coupling an optical signal in an optical transmission line connected to a connection part connectable to a connection part and sending it to an optical transmission line connected to a connection part different from the connection part connectable to the optical cable, and further connected to the optical cable When the optical cable is not connected to the possible connection portion, a member is provided which puts an optical signal emitted from the connection portion connectable to the optical cable into a connection portion different from the connection portion connectable to the optical cable. Optical connector that.